The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-20
THE F0RTY-NINTH CONGRESS.
The House Further Considers the Interstate
Commerce Bnl-A Vote Probable To-Day.

1uE hIl.NlNIH CUNUkESS,
The House Further Considers the interstate
Commerce Bill-A Vote Probable To-Day.
WASHINGTON. JAM 19.-Mr. Worthington. OF
illinois, from the committee on public buildings
reported bill for the completion of the public
building at Nebraska City, Neb. Referred to tn
committee of the whole.
Mr.. Martin, Of Alabama. from the committee on
patents, reported bill amending the law relat
ing to patents, trade-m marks and copyright.
Placed on the House calendar.
Mr.. Peters, of Kansas offered q resolution
calling on the Secretary of War for information
as to the truth Of the statement that certain c1t
zens OF Kansas, while temporarily In the Indian
Territory, were fred upon by soldiers belonging
to the Fifth United States Cavalry. Referred.
In the morning hour, the House resr ned con
sderation of the resolution setting apart The 10th
of January for consideration of the Blair educa-
tional bill.
Mr.. Morrison, of Illinois, moved to reconsider
the vote by which the House, yesterday, refused
to lay the resolution on the table, and Mr.. Will
lis of Kentucky, moved to lay the motion on
the table. Agreed to-yeas 163, nays IS
Then Mr.. Springer of Illinois, moved to refer
the resolution to the committee on rules and
roll-calls on this and auxiliary motions consumed
the morning hour. and the resolution resumed its
place on the calendar.
Mr.. Crisp. of Georgia, then called up the con-
ference report on the interstate commerce bill.
but the members of the committee on labor were
indignant at the manner in which the morning
hour had been frittered away, and Mr.. Daniel,
of Virginia. raised the question of consideration
desiring to call up the educational bill resolution
under special order made last session; but the
House decided-104 to ITO consider the con-
ference report.
Mr.. Crisp gave notice that he would ask for a
vote upon the report tomorrow, after the morn
ing hour.
Mr. Durham. Of Illinois, addressing himself
to the long and short-haul section Of the BILL ex
pressed his inability to understand its meaning
and his disbelief that anybody else understood
it. Its Interpretation would have to be left to
the courts. 1T the railroads we're forced by this
bill to raise their through rates, the section of
country in which he lived would sustain the
greatest injury, for it would be more difficult
for the farmers of that section to place their
grain products in European markets. in compe-
tition with the grain produced in Australia
The railroads had been guilty of unjust discrim-
inatlon and abuse, and it was proper that legis-
lation should prevent this; but in order to do 30
1t was not necessary to pass law that would
tend to cripple the roads This bill was better
than nothing, and, while he thought that 1t was
inconsistent in places. in the absence Of any
thing better he would vote for it
Mr.. Bynum, of Indiana, would vote for the
bill, but with some misgvngs.
Mr. Guenther, of Wisconsin, congratulated
the people that at last Congress was about to
pass the interstate commerce bill Its passage
would inspire them with renewed confidence in
their Representatives in Congress. Year after
year the railroad magnates, through agents and
lobbyists, had defeated all interstate commerce
legislation; but the day of judgment was about
to arrive. The passage of this bill would be the
greatest triumph the public had achieved for
many years
Mr.. Nelson, of Minnesota, favored the meas.
ure and said that by its passage one Of the pow
erful weapons for extortion and injustice would
be completely sheathed.
Mr.. Weaver, of Iowa, opposed the bill He
had heartily supported the Reagan bill, but the
bill now presented was substantially the Cullom
BILL which the House had once refused to pass.
The theory OF the pending bill was to do as little
for the people rs possible, and to render those
sections which related to the rights of the people
as obscure and unintelligible as human ingenui-
ty could make them. If the hand of Talley-
rand had not been present in the construction
of this bill appearances were deceitful It was a
intended to vote for; which nobody was satisfied
with and everybody intended to accept The
people had been demanding the Reagan bill. and
they had been fed ashes. They had asked
for an egg, and were given a scorpion which
would sting them to death
Pending further debate the matter went over.
On motion of Mr.. Clardy Of Missouri. bill
was passed authorizing the construction of a
bridge over the Mississippi river at St. Louis.
Mr.. Cultivate. of OHIO. offered tine following
resolution, which was referred to the committee
on Pacific railroads
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be
and he is hereby requested to inform the House of
Representatives soon practicable, the sums of
money which owing to the United States on the
lst day of January 1887. from the Pacific railroads
that have received aid from the in bonds
or lands. giving the which are DUE principal
and interest under existing law severaly and coec-
lively from said companies and what will be the
Co the treasury the effect these
if House bill No. 1913, the funding BILL should be.
come law and its provisions be complied with.
After an Intellectual effort on the part of Mr..
Crisp to obtain a night session for debate on the
conference report on the interstate commerce
bill, the House adjourned.